Water
Mackay Sugar has been a major contributor to the construction of major water conservation projects, including augmentation of the Dumbleton Weir on the Pioneer River and construction of the Teemburra Dam in the Eungella Range.
Both projects have provided reliable sources of irrigation water available to growers.
Mackay Sugar maintains a watching brief on water storage schemes that will increase productivity and has been involved with several community reference groups during planning and assessment of potential schemes.
Mackay Sugar is committed to helping in achieving shareholders' improved water use efficiency. It has been keenly interested in a BSES (Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations) economic evaluation of various irrigation systems (carried out in 1998) which identified low pressure overhead systems as the most profitable irrigation method, with centre pivot as the most cost-effective. The study examined furrow and trickle irrigation.